INSIGHT IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS

Several months ago a friend emailed me and asked me to do a baby quilt.

She gave me a rough draft of the beach, banana tree, monkey, lion, and wanted me to add a turtle.

The rest was up to me.

Since she lives in Amerika Samoa I felt that you have to have a lot of sun.  If the sun is not shining it is raining.

For me, nothing is better than Island Batik Fabrics for blending and applique so I went to my scrap ben of Island Batik fabrics.

As you can see here I have done a sun with rays.  I used paper piecing for this. 

 Actually I just got a piece of paper about the width I wanted and then started from the middle.

  I worked from the inside out  with the middle strip, then placing right sides together I sewed a 1/4" seam down one side...flipped it over, ironed down....sewed another piece of fabric onto that one and just continued on that way to one side then I repeated the same process on the other side.  I would just cut the strips the way I wanted them.....if it was not slanted enough...I would just cut away.

I auditioned fabrics for the ocean.

Then sand.

If you will noticed the finished product, I cut down the light blue waves, didn't like the look of it so I cut it before I sewed it down.

Here we are auditioning for border fabrics, this is where I let my friend decide on what fabric she wanted for the border (notice the smaller light blue waves).

I went to coloring book pages online...  I would write in monkey coloring book page.  Did the same thing for everything else.

I had two monkeys I was torn between, finally decided on this monkey.

I can draw but there are some things I can not.  If I do take from coloring book pages for a quilt I do not make it a pattern to sell.

Here I am trying to decide on the fabric for the lettering.

Using my Cricut I cut out the letters in cardboard and then drew the letters backwards on the Heat N Bond.  Then ironed onto the backside of the fabric, then cut.

Finally finished.  This process took me about 3 months.  I was stumped for a while and sick.

I wasn't sure about the background so I let it sit hanging from my longarm so I could see it and think.

Lots and Lots of thinking.

My friend wanted a pink turtle for a sibling that was lost before birth.

I hope she likes it.  I do believe thinking is the major part of the process....

KENNEL QUILTS

22                                                                  

 " In 2016, Island BAtik joined forces with an existing group of industry partners and supporters of the Pedfinder Foundation to create the Piece for Shelter Pets (PFSP) initiative.  The initative supports the Petfinder Foundation, a "Public Charity" that works to end the euthanasia of adoptable pets by assisting animal shelters and rescure groups across North America through financial contributions made possible by the sale of fabric, thread, and other quilting related products.  PFSP sponsors include "The Quilt Magazine, Island Batik, Aurfifil Threads, QuiltyBox, Benartex, and Hancocks' of Paducah."

The TQPM Small Kennel Quilt Team is a volunteer organization sponsored by "The Quilt Pattern Magazine (TQPM) that springs into action(or should we say "Stitches" into action?) when disasters strike, sewing small kennel quilts for animals in need while they are separated from their humans and possibly injured.  Creating kennel quilts is a way for quilters to help our animal friends in times of need by doing what we love.  TQPM Small Kennel Quilt Team supplies kennel quilts to shelters across the United States.  Want to know more go here."

I took that directly off the email that was sent to the ambassadors for Island Batik, didn't want to leave anything out.  So our challenge this month is to make kennel quilts.  I am sending mine to (as soon as I finish washing them:

Bark and Roll Rescue Companions

310 Shadows Lake Drive

Batton Rouge, LA  70816

Wonderful Island Batik Fabrics.  I was just lucky enough to have enough of this cute fun fabric in my stash to make five

little Kennel Quilts.

As soon as they are finished washing and drying....off they will go.

There are two other blogs that have posted so far, 

The Quilt Rambler

and then Linda's website

HEART BE STILL ME NOW!!!!

                                                          I knew the box was coming.

                                                            Just didn't know when.

                                                            The dog was barking!!!

 

                                                                 Sound of a vehicle!!
   
                                                                    

                                                                    still not registering

                        until I heard the door bell ring did my brain come into focus!!!

                         My pluse increased, my mouth went dry just in the anticipation of my box....



                                                     


                                       Yes, my Island Batik Box
                                                             Here is a peak inside

Oh......what lovelies.....

Oh.......what fun I will have

Oh....did you want to see more?

You will have to come by my blog for the next six months to find out what all was inside.

BAHAHA!!!!